Field
At least one feature relates to communication systems, and, more particularly, to a method for facilitating the secure distribution of mobile device information within a wireless network, such as an ultra mobile broadband (UMB) network.
Background
In the evolution of various wireless communication networks within 3GPP2, one type of network architecture is known as an ultra mobile broadband (UMB) network and is intended to improve the CDMA2000 mobile phone standard for next generation applications and requirements. UMB packet data networks are based upon Internet (TCP/IP) networking technologies running over a next generation radio system and is intended to be more efficient and capable of providing more services than the technologies it replaces. UMB is intended to be a fourth-generation (4G) technology and uses a high bandwidth, low latency, underlying TCP/IP network with high level services such as voice built on top. The much greater amount of bandwidth (in comparison to previous generations), and much lower latencies, enable the use of various application types that have previously been impossible, while continuing to deliver high quality (or higher quality) voice services.
UBM networks have a less centralized management of its network access nodes, known as evolved base stations (eBS). For instance, such access nodes may perform many of the same functions as the base station (BS) and base station controller (BSC) in a CDMA network. Due to this more distributive network architecture, several problems occur in trying to maintain an access terminal's (AT) network access identifier (NAI) secure.
Under some prior art network architectures, the NAI (or its equivalent access terminal identifier) is transmitted by the access terminal over the air to the packet data serving node (PDSN) which uses it for authentication, accounting report, and/or policy retrieval functions. By transmitting the NAI over the air, it makes it susceptible to snooping and insecure.
In an UMB network, the NAI is not sent over the air. Instead, depending on the extendible authentication protocol (EAP) methods, an access terminal's NAI may not be known to the authenticator. This may be referred to as anonymous NAI. However, a problem occurs in how to authenticate an AT while implementing anonymous NAI. In a UMB network, the User Profile, and quality of service (QoS) User Profile is sent to the session reference network controller (SRNC) from the local and home authentication, authorization, and accounting (LAAA/HAAA) via successful access authentication. However, User Profile also needs to be sent to an access gateway (AGW) (e.g., via IP services authorization). Thus, a problem exists in how to send the User Profile to an AGW while implementing anonymous NAI.
If a PMIPv4 tunnel is used between an eBS and AGW within a UMB network, the MN-HA key (e.g., can be per AT based key or per eBS-AGW pair key) needs to be sent to both eBS and AGW. Therefore, a problem occurs in how to send the MN-HA key used for PMIPv4 tunnel between the eBS and AGW to the SRNC and AGW.
Consequently, a way is needed to address these issues when implementing anonymous NAI within a UMB network.